THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
ROLE PROFILE FORM
Job Title:
Research Fellow (fixed-term)
School/Department:
School of Medicine,
Radiological Sciences
Salary:
£28,982 - £37,768 per annum, depending on qualifications,
skills and experience. Salary progression beyond this scale is
subject to performance.
Job Family and Level:
Research and Teaching Level R&T4
Contract Status:
The post is available from 1 August 2016, and will be offered
on a fixed term contract for 2.5 years.
Hours of Work:
Full-time – 36.25 hours per week
Location:
Queen’s Medical Centre Campus, University of Nottingham
Reporting to:
Professor of Neuroimaging
Division
of
Clinical
Neuroscience,
Purpose of the Role:
The main role of this post is to support the Nottingham ARUK Pain Centre’s imaging research
activities. This includes advanced magnetic resonance imaging research into the mechanisms
of pain progression in people with osteoarthritis. The postholder will also develop and facilitate
expansion of the imaging research programme and support training of MSc, PhD students as
part of the ARUK Pain Centre’s training progamme. Research focus on interventions to
modulate brain network activity is particular encouraged. Collaboration with the wider
membership of the ARUK Pain Centre, the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre and the
Translational Neuroimaging Centre in Mental Health is strongly encouraged.
Main Responsibilities
1.
2.
3.
4.
% time
per year
Undertake neuroimaging research into understanding the neural mechanisms of
pain progression in osteoarthritis pain. Develop imaging biomarkers of pain
progression in OA. This involves contribution to research governance, MR
protocol refinement, organisation and support of MR scanning, data handling,
advanced image analysis, presenting results in conferences and peer-reviewed
journals.
Develop strong collaborative links with / and pro-actively support collaborate
research with all involved research teams across the ARUK Pain Centre
including joint grant applications.
Contribute to effective communication with the wider scientific community,
public and Arthritis Research UK.
Other duties appropriate to the grade and role of the person appointed.
You are expected to make a contribution to teaching that is in balance with
wider contributions to research and other activities.
Recruitment
60%
20%
10%
10%
Essential
PhD
in
neuroscience, 
neuroimaging or related subject
Qualifications/
Education

Skills/Training
 Good
understanding
of 
principles of MR imaging and
including fMRI of the brain
 Very good knowledge of major 
image analysis packages (SPM,
FSL, AFNI, Freesurfer, REST)
 Ability to design fMRI studies 
and phantom studies for quality
control and data analysis.
 Ability to independently perform
advanced brain network analysis
Experience





Other





Several years’ experience in
acquiring and analysing MRI
data
Experience with imaging based
brain network analysis
Presentations at international
conferences.
Publication in leading peerreview journal.
Several
first
author
peerreviewed publications.
Excellent IT skills.
Excellent organisational skills.
Excellent communications skills.
Ability to work in a
multidisciplinary research team
Willingness to adopt the Ethos
and Principles of the School of
Medicine to improve the student
experience.




Desirable
Specific training or qualification
related to advanced brain imaging
analysis
including
machine
learning and effective connectivity
analysis.
Understanding of clinical and
research governance related to
imaging studies.
Understanding of major mental
health disorders and their effects
on brain network dysfunction
Understanding of central pain
processing
Experience in running research
projects
MRI research in patients.
Experience in mental health and
pain questionnaires
Experience in pain phenotyping
Decision Making
i) Taken independently by the role holder;
 decisions regarding protocol optimisation and image quality assurance testing
 decisions relevant to the day-to-day smooth running of the project, within the requirements
of Good Clinical Practice
 decisions regarding data quality assessment and analysis methodologies
ii)








Taken in collaboration with others;
decisions regarding overall protocol content
decisions regarding inclusion of cases or exclusion of data
decisions regarding patient / participant pathways
decisions regarding ethical amendments or protocol amendments after commencement of the
study
decisions regarding content of papers and conference abstracts
decisions regarding direction of students and collaborations
decisions regarding proposals for funding applications
decisions regarding long-term research programme and future collaborative research
Page 2 of 5
 decisions regarding design and hardware implications of data repository
iii) Referred to the appropriate line manager by the role holder
 Wider strategy of the research group
 Purchase decisions
Additional Information
The Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre at The University of Nottingham investigates the
mechanisms that lead to the chronic pain experienced by sufferers of arthritis, in order to improve
the treatment of that pain.
Radiological Sciences is part of the Division of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, and its
research group members are also members of the newly launched Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging
Centre (SPMIC) bringing together MR physicists, Imaging scientists, academic Radiologists and
other clinical academics interested in imaging biomarker research.
The post holder will work closely with the ARUK Pain Centre, Radiological Sciences and the
Neuroimaging community across the University/ Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre.
Appendix 1
The University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a global-leading, research-intensive university with campuses
in the UK, Malaysia and China. Our reputation for world-class research has yielded major
scientific breakthroughs such as Nobel-winning MRI techniques, drug discovery, food
technologies and engineering solutions for future economic, social and cultural progress.
Already ranked among the UK’s elite universities and global polls for research excellence, our
reputation for world-class research has been further enhanced with the 2014 results of the
Research Excellence Framework (REF).
In addition to scoring highly in quality rankings covering major disciplines in science,
engineering, the social sciences, medicine, business and the arts, it is Nottingham’s research
power rankings which demonstrate the impressive volume of excellent research which is
carried out. We are now ranked 8th in the UK on a measure of ‘research power’ which takes
into account both the quality of research and the number of research-active staff who made
REF returns, confirming Nottingham’s place in the top tier of the world’s elite higher education
institutions.
The main University campus is set beside a lake, in an extensive belt of woodland, parks and
playing fields. The 330 acre University Park Campus is the focus of life for more than 32,000
students and houses the majority of the University’s academic schools and many of the central
Services. The Jubilee campus is situated 2 miles away from the University Park, and provides
extra capacity. The University Medical School is situated next to the University Park.
Together with the University Hospital, it forms the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC).
University of Nottingham Medical School
Nottingham has a strong reputation for both clinical medicine and teaching. As one of the most
popular medical schools in the country, it is able to select excellent students and produce and
attract good junior doctors.
The School of Medicine was formed following Faculty reconfiguration on August 1st 2013.
The new School of Medicine comprises the Divisions of Cancer and Stem Cell Sciences, Child
Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Clinical Neuroscience; Epidemiology and Public Health;
Primary Care; Psychiatry and Applied Psychology; Rehabilitation and Ageing; Medical Sciences
and Graduate Entry Medicine; Respiratory Medicine; Rheumatology, Orthopaedics and
Dermatology and the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre. The School also hosts the
Medical Education Centre, the Centre for Interprofessional Education and Learning, the Clinical
Research Facility, the Clinical Skills Centre, NIHR design Service East Midlands, Nottingham
Clinical Trials Unit, PRIMIS and Medical Imaging Unit.
Page 3 of 5
The new School of Medicine brings together in one School staff undertaking research for the
benefit of the health of patients. It includes all primary care and hospital-based medical and
surgical disciplines, principally in the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital Nottingham
Campuses, Royal Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and also at the University’s main
campus and at the King’s Meadow and Jubilee Campuses. Most of our School’s Senior
Researchers and Teachers are also clinicians who dedicate 50% of their time to patient care
within the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust & Royal Derby Hospitals NHS Trust. This
close juxtaposition brings cutting-edge clinical care to our patients and clinical relevance to our
research and teaching. We are closely integrated with our full time NHS clinical colleagues,
many of whom are themselves leaders in research and teaching and who work closely with the
University and this increases the mutual benefit from integration between the University and
NHS.
Mission:
Our mission is to improve human health and quality of life locally, nationally and
internationally through outstanding education, research and patient care.
Priorities:
1. Teaching and learning, particularly training tomorrow’s doctors and teaching
specialised postgraduates
2. Research and research training: We will perform and support the highest quality
“big” research which impacts on human health and disease
3. Partnership with the NHS and other healthcare providers
4. Visibility and profile of the School of Medicine: We will do what we do better, and
we will tell others about it
Ethos and principles:
1. Having people and patients at the heart of all we do: our teaching and learning,
our research and our patient care
2. Contribution within the School of Medicine and to society beyond our immediate
roles; helpfulness and service
3. Openness and fairness, with particular emphasis on communication (both internal
and external) and on equality and diversity among students and staff
4. Personal and group responsibility for all aspects of our work, within a culture of
opportunity and reward
Our research spans 11 major themes, ranging from cancer to vascular medicine. We work
closely with industry and the NHS. Our world-leading research ranges from basic and
translational science through to clinical trials, epidemiology, and health services research. Our
clear theme is improving human health, underpinning a vibrant postgraduate research training
programme leading to PhD or DM. Many of our academics are clinicians, using their expertise
to provide cutting edge specialised treatment to NHS patients; reflecting our ethos that
patients are at the heart of all we do.
In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework the four Units of Assessment included in the
School of Medicine were among the six most improved in the whole University since RAE 2008:
Over 80% of our research in 2014 was graded as world-leading or internationally excellent.
Our research spans 11 major themes and ranges from basic and translational science through
to clinical trials, epidemiology, and health services research. We work closely with industry and
the NHS. Our research is underpinned by a strong postgraduate research training programme
leading to PhD or DM. Our major research themes are in Cancer and Stem Cells; Child Health,
Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Clinical Neurosciences; Dermatology; Digestive Diseases;
Epidemiology and Public Health; Mental Health; Musculoskeletal physiology and disease;
Primary Care; Rehabilitation and Ageing; Respiratory Medicine; and Renal Medicine.
The School of Medicine trains tomorrow’s doctors on a vibrant undergraduate medical course
with a unique intercalated BMedSci, as well in a specialised graduate-entry programme built
around clinical problem solving. We teach medicine and related disciplines at both
undergraduate and postgraduate level. We have a dedicated clinical academic training
programme and are committed to training PhD and doctoral research students and to
supporting postdoctoral clinicians and scientists in their research.
Page 4 of 5
The School of Medicine holds a Bronze Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment
to advance the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, medicine and
mathematics (STEMM). The award reflects our commitment to promoting equality and
diversity. Please see http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/medicine/about/athena-swan.aspx.
Professor John Atherton is Dean of the School of Medicine.
For further information, please see our website http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/medicine
Nottingham
Central within the East Midlands, Nottingham is a vibrant and prosperous city with something
to offer everyone. It is one of the UK’s leading retail centres and has a huge variety of
restaurants, bars and nightclubs which attract people from all over the UK. Culturally, it has
good theatres, an arena which attracts both national and international performers and a range
of historical interests relating to subjects such as the lace industry, Lord Byron and DH
Lawrence. Nottingham is also known for sport, being the home of Trent Bridge Cricket Ground,
Nottingham Forest and Notts County Football Clubs, the National Water Sports Centre and the
Nottingham Tennis Centre. There is a good network of roads with easy access to the M1 and
the A1, a fast frequent rail service to London and other major cities. Nottingham East Midlands
Airport is only eighteen miles away.
The city is set within a county of outstanding natural beauty which includes Sherwood Forest,
Wollaton Park, lively market towns and wonderful historic buildings. Housing is relatively
inexpensive and, in addition to the two Universities, there are excellent schools and colleges
available.
To find out more about Nottingham, use the following links:
Nottingham County Council – Tourism
http://www.experiencenottinghamshire.com/
University of Nottingham
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk
Zoopla (Guide to local properties)
http://www.zoopla.co.uk/
My Nottingham (information on schools, term dates, school transport etc.)
http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8524
Page 5 of 5